Lawsuit: Trenton police negligent in inmate's death

TRENTON — Approximately three years before a city resident was found dead in Trenton police lockup, a woman suffered a similar fate.

Loretta Klank hung herself from the bars of a cell at the city police department’s North Clinton Avenue headquarters in March 2008, according to a personal injury civil lawsuit filed in state Superior Court.

The lawsuit alleges police department personnel failed to “adequately search and remove” a piece of clothing from Klank, which she used to hang herself, and did not supervise her as required.

“The lack of respect that Trenton police have for its citizens once again is demonstrated in the tragic end of the life of Ms. Klank,” said attorney Robin Lord, who is representing Klank’s sister, Shirley Ann Hafer, in the lawsuit.

Lord said the piece of clothing used was either a sweatshirt or sweater.

Klank’s passing might conjure up memories of the death of a Vietnam vet in Trenton lockup, a case Lord is also involved with.

In January 2011, Kenneth Howard, 55, was found dead in his cell at the city police department’s North Clinton Avenue headquarters. The medical examiner’s office determined he died from chronic liver failure due to cirrhosis of the liver.

Lord said police personnel did not monitor the cell for more than seven hours.

Policy dictates that police or aides have to check on inmates in lockup every 30 minutes.

A city police officer and two police aides faced charges in connection with the death for tampering with public records, but the charges were later dropped, according to published reports.

“They fabricated the logs because they were too lazy to get off their behinds and do their job,” Lord said, noting the employees instead opted to watch a playoff sports game on TV.

Lord said the status of the Howard lawsuit, in which she is representing his family, is pending.

In addition to the allegations of negligence in Klank’s death, the lawsuit states the defendants violated her constitutional rights, lacked concern for her “obvious and serious medical needs,” failed to render aid and falsely arrested her.

Hafer, individually and on behalf of Klank’s estate, is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, pre- and post-judgement interest and any further relief seemed reasonable and just.

The city, the Trenton Police Department, city police aides Elfi Martinez and Nikijha Blakely, city police officers Russell Paoline and Randall Hanson, and Lt. Joseph Valdora are all named as defendants in the suit.

Police Director Ralph Rivera Jr., who took over department in April 2012, said he had no knowledge of the case.

“That was before I became the police director, so I really can’t comment on that investigation,” Rivera said Tuesday.

Blakely is also named in a lawsuit involving a city man who suffered a heart attack in Trenton’s lockup.

That lawsuit alleges Abdullah Rasheed repeatedly requested from police personnel, including Blakely, his heart medication that his wife dropped off when he was in custody in April 2011.

After four days of being denied medication by the officers, Rasheed suffered a heart attack, according to the lawsuit.

When Rivera discussed the Rasheed lawsuit in a Trentonian story last month, he said Blakely was still a city police aide.

The police director also vowed to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident because one had yet to be initiated.